Last update - 00:00 16/03/2007
Military tribunal drops charges linking Barghouti's son to attacks
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent
In an unusual decision Thursday, a military tribunal exonerated Qassem Barghouti, son of jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, of charges of participating in a series of shooting incidents.
The tribunal concluded that there were contradictions in the evidence against Barghouti provided by Palestinian witnesses, and he was only convicted of being a member of a hostile organization.
The 23-year-old Barghouti was arrested more than two years ago when he returned to the West Bank for a visit from his studies in Cairo.
The defense attorney maintained that the Shin Bet was distorting the evidence alleging that Barghouti participated in terrorism.